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Dear Friend of Tomorrow's Hope,

On the first day of school this September, Angela sent her three children off with both pride and gratitude. Lily began 9th grade at St. John the Baptist High School in West Islip, while her younger brothers, Niko (4th grade) and Nino (3rd grade), returned to Our Lady of Guadalupe (OLG) in Deer Park.

As a single mother and survivor of domestic violence, Angela wants nothing more than to protect her children from harm. She and her children now live with her parents, who surround them with emotional and spiritual support. While she works per diem as a dental assistant, Angela’s schedule is often disrupted by ongoing court dates and mandated family therapy sessions. And while she continues to “take on the debt to keep [her] children safe,” the family bears the heavy weight of financial, emotional, and mental stress.

Since 2021, Angela’s family has benefitted from tuition assistance from Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation. She recently shared:

“Your support has been a blessing. My children love being in OLG, and we are so grateful to be part of this unique and wonderful community. They feel safe here under the watchful eyes of Our Lady, whose grace and goodness fill the school and rest in the hearts of our teachers. It is truly a remarkable place to learn and grow. I feel it is so important to be able to keep them enrolled in OLG.”

This past June, Lily graduated from OLG as Salutatorian and is ready to thrive in her first year of high school — an achievement made possible because of the foundation you helped provide. And with Niko and Nino continuing their Catholic education at OLG, Angela still needs your support — just as many other families do.

Stories like Angela’s remind us why Tomorrow’s Hope exists. This fall, we have once again committed $2.625 million in scholarship aid so that nearly 1,000 children can begin the year with the security of knowing their Catholic education is possible.

While we always strive to expand our impact, this year we were called to deepen it.

The reason is clear: the average cost for Catholic elementary school tuition rose 6.7% to $8,262. Families are sacrificing more than ever, and without deeper scholarship support, children like Niko and Nino would not be able to continue their Catholic education.

That is why the average scholarship increased to $2,650, a 4.7% rise from last year. And for the first time, more than one in three students (33.6%) received the maximum award of $3,500  — a dramatic increase from 20% last year and just 11% two years ago.

Even with this progress, we are reminded that too many are still waiting for the gift of a Catholic education.

This is where you can make a difference. Your gift to the Annual Fund for Tomorrow’s Hope ensures that children like Niko and Nino are not turned away because of financial hardship. Every dollar goes directly to our mission, funding scholarships, opening doors of opportunity and safety for children who long for the life-changing gift of Catholic education.

As this school year begins, I invite you to stand with families like Angela’s. Together, we can deepen our impact for those who need it most, sustain Catholic education on Long Island, and bring hope to the next generation.

With gratitude,

Ismini Scouras

Executive Director

P.S. Please make your back-to-school gift today by visiting https://www.tomorrowshopefoundation.org/donate. Your generosity will help children like Lily, Nino, and Niko continue to thrive in the safety and grace of their Catholic school community.